By Hester Hill Schnipper — 2021
Accepting help from others when you have a cancer diagnosis isn’t a sign of weakness.
Read on www.cancertodaymag.org
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There’s something empowering and dignifying about the act of asking for help when it is genuinely needed.
With each diagnosis, knowing her life hung in the balance, she was “stunned, then anguished” and astonished by “how much energy it takes to get from the bad news to actually starting on the return path to health.”
Expectations surrounding Black masculinity, such as the requirement to be strong and stoic, have often prevented Black men from seeking mental health care. But it's possible to overcome this reluctance and make mental wellness a priority.
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I couldn’t keep “proving everyone wrong” and still do all the things I wanted to do with my life.
We should remember that while disabled people can become good at asking for help, few of us are entirely comfortable with it.
The ongoing dialogue I have with my own perspective and emotions is the biggest job I’ve ever undertaken. Exploring this internal give-and-take forces me to grow in surprising ways.
Often, disabled people have their disability treated, but they don’t have their emotional or spiritual needs addressed.
Depression and suicidal ideation are more likely among people with disabilities due to factors like abuse, isolation, and stressors related to poverty, among others.
Adults with disabilities report experiencing frequent mental distress almost 5 times as often as adults without disabilities.
Understanding how and why can help people cope with the disorder.